The decision was taken at a closed door meeting of the BJP legislature party at a hotel here attended by the party's central observers-Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Ananth Kumar and the party national general secretary Anil Jain, said state unit BJP Vice-President Sanjay Mayukh.

Prem Kumar will be designated as the new Leader of Opposition in the 16th legislative Assembly. The elevation has come as a big reward for the 60-year-old leader who has till date worked in the shadow of his more illustrious colleagues Sushil Kumar Modi and Nandkishore Yadav.

Hailing from an Extremely Backward Caste, the new BJP legislature party leader has sound academic background as he holds a Ph.D degree in history from Magadh University. He has headed various departments in the erstwhile Nitish Kumar government.